Fight for Our Future!

For seven months, one-year-old Payton KillEagle of Dodson fought liver cancer and conquered it, having spent time in Seattle, Wash. for treatment, while staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

Now, KillEagle Productions is putting on a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event to bless the many families that are going through the same situation that Payton, her father Wes KillEagle Jr., and their family went through not too long ago.

"These kids are fighting for their lives over there," Wes KillEagle Jr. told the PCN. "I figure that the best way to honor them is to have some people fight to help them fight."

The event is called Fight For Our Future, a one-night MMA and Boxing event, set to be held at the Milk River Pavilion in Malta on Saturday, June 2.

"The house is for kids that have any kind of illnesses," KillEagle said. "Kids go there with heart problems, seizures, and other illnesses."

Payton was diagnosed at seven-months-old and started chemotherapy at eight-months-old in January of 2017.

"She had 60 percent of her liver removed at ten-months-old," KillEagle said. "She had to do six rounds of chemo and entered remission last August."

While in recovery and during treatments, the Ronald McDonald house became home for the father-daughter duo, with many other family members coming to Seattle to help out.

"The house is awesome," KillEagle said. "I was scared, a single father, not knowing what to expect or what to do, but they had people there to help out. They provided food. They provided comfort. Everyone is like one big family."

Payton may have been too young to recall the house for future references, but KillEagle's oldest daughter Ivis, a two-year-old at the time, may very well remember some of the faces of the children she had met. KillEagle recalled one of Ivis' best friend's at the house.

"One of her friends she made over there lost all of her fingers, except for two fingers on each hand and all of her toes, except for one on each foot, and a kidney from the radiation from chemo," KillEagle said. "Ivis didn't even recognize any of that. She didn't point it out. It was pretty neat to watch that. She just played with her every chance she got and didn't question why she was like that."

The Ronald McDonald House left an impact that KillEagle and his family hope to help repay.

"We received so much help from the community and we want to do our part and we just want to give back a little," KillEagle said.

KillEagle gave an update on Payton.

"Payton is doing awesome," he said. "She is a bit of a beast now. She lost some hearing with the chemo but that is nothing compared to what could've happened. Her liver should be all the way grown back by now."

As far as the event goes, the card is shaping up and appears to have a lot of talent.

"I got about 15 fighters that have been getting a hold of me and another promoter," KillEagle said.

KillEagle is aiming to set up eight-to-ten MMA fights and two boxing matches in a cage that will be provided by Jory Erickson of Wolf Point.

As for names on the card, KillEagle wouldn't show his hand.

"I'm trying not to give out any names right now because I jinxed everything last time I did that," he said. "I have fighters from Belknap and some from all over the state."

The most recent MMA event held in Phillips County was Havoc on the Hi-Line, which was held in Dodson, at the Fairgrounds on June 13, 2015. KillEagle organized Havoc with Shaun Bell back then, but learned from the experience, switching to an indoor venue.

"No mosquitoes," he said with a smile.

Tickets for the event are $20 in advance and $25 dollars at the door. Side tables are available for the events and have been selling fast. The weigh-in for the event will be held at The Mint Bar in Malta on Friday, June 1, at 5:30 p.m. For more information contact Wes KillEagle at 406-399-6580.

"Come watch some fighters fight for kids fighting for a future," KillEagle said.

KillEagle Productions will also host a Women's Self Defense Class called "Our Women, Our Fight" on Saturday, June 2, at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dodson High School Gym.